ICC Note: It is heartening that President Widodo has taken action to maintain peace in Papua, and in Indonesia as whole. He has appropriately asked the police to enforce the law against those responsible for the burning of the mosque. But will he ask the police to also enforce the law against the Islamic radicals who have carried out similar, or even worse actions against Christians?
By Leo Jegho
07/23/2015 Indonesia (Global Indonesian Voices)
President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo had on Wednesday (22/7) mentioned that he will hold dialog with religious and community leaders in Papua.
The President’s move aims to ensure peace in Papua and in Indonesia as a whole following last week’s burning of a mosque in Tolikara, Papua. The incident not only had raised anger some Muslims in Papua and other parts of Indonesia, but also had fed some fears within the Christian community in Indonesia.
The decision for a dialog between Jokowi and Papua leaders was decided in the President’s meeting at his office with several cabinet members. They were National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Gatot Nurmantyo, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, National Intelligence Coordinating (BIN) Chief Sutiyoso, and Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Detik.com reported.
“The dialog is meant to ease the situation there and also the national situation, together,” Teten Masduki, chief of the President’s communication team, told reporters after the meeting which focused on the Tolikara riot. Masduki was accompanied by the five officials on the occasion.
Teten further said that the President had in the meeting instructed Gen. Badrodin and other law enforcement bodies to take legal action against perpetrators of the Kolihara incident.
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